Humanitarian aid: aid to uprooted people (refugees, displaced persons) in Asian and Latin American developing countries

OBJECTIVE: implementation of a programme of support and assistance to uprooted people in Asian and Latin American countries to contribute to the urgent requirements not covered by humanitarian aid and for the longer term realization of projects and action programmes aimed at the self-sufficiency and integration or reintegration of such people. COMMUNITY MEASURE: Council Regulation 443/97/EC on operations to aid uprooted people in Asian and Latin American developing countries. SUBSTANCE: the Community supports viable projects for self-sufficiency and reinsertion into the socio-economic fabric of refugees and displaced persons, returnees and demobilized soldiers. The operations shall cover the establishment of democratic structures and the promotion of human rights, mine clearance, combating sexual violence, operations to help people recover their property and property rights, aid concerning the judicial settlement of cases where the human rights of displaced persons have been violated, support to local host communities and areas to which refugees return to facilitate acceptance and integration of uprooted people and support for their return and settlement in the countries or origin or in third countries and support for reconciliation. Beneficiaries: uprooted people (refugees, displaced persons, returnees and demobilized soldiers) from or provisionally settled in the developing countries of Asia and Latin America and, in duly justified cases, in another third country: . refugees as defined in the 1951 United Nations Convention relating to the status of refugees, . displaced persons or returnees who do not enjoy refugee status as defined in the 1951 Convention, . the local population of the host territories whose social, economic and administrative resources contribute to reintegration projects, . former combatants from regular armies and demobilized armed opposition movements and their families. All these people take part in the assessment of needs and in the implementation of the programmes. - Partners in cooperation: regional and international organizations, United Nations agencies, NGOs, national, provincial and local administrations and official bodies, community-based organizations and public or private institutes and operators; - eligible expenditure: in the framework of the general objectives of this measure Community financing may cover investment expenditure (except for real estate) and, in duly justified cases, recurring expenditure (administrative expenditure, maintenance and running costs). Also included is expenditure associated with studies, technical assistance, training and other services, supplies, works and audits and evaluation and monitoring missions. Co-financing with Member States and associated multilateral or regional organizations is actively sought in line with the nature of the operation and within the limits of the possibilities available to the partners concerned. - Type of aid: grants. - Profile of Community activities: measures shall be taken to emphasize the Community character of the activities planned. - Consistency and complementarity: provision is made for coordination with the Commission to ensure the effectiveness of the operations achieved among all the partners including the Member States (establishment of a system for the exchange of information and on-the-spot coordination of the implementation of operations). The operations will also be complementary to those provided for by other Community instruments for cooperation and development. - Decision-making procedure: the Commission manages and implements the operations established under this regulation. It is assisted by the ALA committee set up under Regulation 443/92/EEC acting as a regulatory committee (type IIIa). In taking its decisions on the projects to be funded the Commission must take into account a certain number of criteria including the effectiveness and viability of operations, the cultural and social aspects of the projects, the institutional development necessary to achieve project goals, etc. The Commission must also inform the Committee succinctly in advance of any decisions concerning projects with a value lower than ECU 2 million. For decisions concerning a larger amount, the decision will be taken in agreement with the committee. Participation in invitations to tender and the award of contracts is open to the recipient countries, the Member States and other developing countries or, in an exceptional case, to other third countries. - Information: an annual report is sent by the Commission to Parliament and the Council summarizing the operations financed in the course of that year and evaluating them (any contracts which have been concluded, independent evaluations, etc.). It will also inform the Member States one month after the decision of operations and projects approved. - Assessment: the Commission will regularly assess operations with a view to establishing whether the objectives of the regulation have been achieved. These assessments will be forwarded to the committee and to the Member States requesting them. - Budget: ECU 240 million from 1996 to 1999. Annual appropriations are authorized by the budgetary authority within the limits of the financial perspective. ENTRY INTO FORCE: the regulation enters into force on 11 March 1997 and is applicable until 31 December 1999. �